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How SaaS Regression Testing at Speed Helps Deliver Business Transformation

4 min read

MattK • 01/06/2022

In this blog, we explore the importance of creating, executing, and analyzing automated regression testing in the new age of Software as a Service (SaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) and how it helps to deliver change quicker and with confidence.

Regression testing isn’t new…

As an age-old, core element of the Software Development Cycle (SDLC), testing and more specifically regression testing is nothing new. When any developers change or modify software, even the smallest of fine tunes can have unexpected knock-on effects throughout the system.

Regression testing exists to capture any change that hasn’t adversely introduced further bugs into a new build or release. It’s crucial to perform and even more crucial to automate regression to create confidence in releasing change at speed. Four main barriers to effective regression testing are cited regularly in the industry:

  • Speed of building a fully covered regression pack or set of tests
  • Speed and ease of maintaining automated tests
  • Speed of executing a full regression pack
  • Effective and easy analysis of test results

In this aggressively competitive climate, enterprises are moving to cloud computing and SaaS delivery models, and whilst there are many benefits (we could be here all day) the speed at which SaaS products are delivered, upgraded, and interconnected with the wider eco-system highlights any frailties in the Quality Assurance Process.

What makes SaaS testing so important?

Let’s be clear, there are similarities, however, SaaS testing is generally considered tougher than ‘traditional’ testing. Changes, and product updates, are delivered at a much faster rate. Heavily customizable and configurable platforms such as ServiceNow require close management to avoid regular delay, risk, and frustration with webs of manual processes – a large amount of business process knowledge to create effective automated tests that aren’t just functional but test the business processes as well.

Constant main platform upgrades and patch releases leave organizations striving to stay on the latest version to grab hold of the much-promised enhancement requests and functionality improvements whilst an ever-growing interconnected hub of products is placing stress on the need for integration and therefore integration testing.

"These next-level intelligent test automation capabilities will be a game-changer for companies that want to stay up-to-date and leverage the power of ServiceNow with more certainty and speed than ever before."
Jeff Nicoll, EO of JIT, ServiceNow Premier Partner

Due to these elements, the strain placed on Quality Assurance and Testing teams working with SaaS/PaaS has drastically heightened and all points to the need to become more agile and work towards heavy automation and DevOps. No longer can organizations get away with risk-based testing when releasing. Enter, the need for dedicated, no-code Test Automation to speed up and democratize the testing effort.

 

Building, Maintaining, Executing, and Analyzing

 

Traditionally, automation tests are code-heavy and tricky to build with effective test maintenance baked in from the start. QuickStart AI, a no-code element of the AutomatePro AutoTest module, enables the automatic creation of tests that encompass business processes, by looking at your specific data, tables, rules, and customizations within ServiceNow.

 

As out-of-the-box as clients [possibly] aim to be, customization exists in every instance, so these tests are not standard template tests, they are tailored to the specific instance and processes, incorporating interceptors and views, and are up and running in seconds. 

“QuickStart AI and Model Blocks are an amazing tool that allows test developers to instantaneously create automated tests“
Rajbir Deol, ESM Sr System Developer, Co-operators Group Limited

Coupled with the ability to group test steps into model-blocks, re-usable portions of tests, not only does building out regression packs become a swift exercise that combats ‘Automation Rot’ (maintenance issues down the line) but democratizes the process so those with the business knowledge, not just testing knowledge, can contribute effectively as well.

Once a comprehensive baseline regression pack is created (ready to be ever updated in line with best practice as new changes and releases are deployed) the next hurdle is executing this in a timely fashion. Organizations are limited on release schedules when testing is slow, but the ability to scale and run tests in parallel removes this frustration.

Gone are the days of sequentially lining up automated tests to run, we are in 2022, simply decide on a timeframe and scale accordingly ready for the morning’s analysis session to immediately capture, analyze and manage defects as they appear. Defects can be highlighted, tracked over time, and prioritized. Ultimately, capturing and fixing them earlier in the SDLC reduces the cost per defect and enables organizations to turn releases, upgrades, and patch updates into overnight exercises, rather than full-on project workouts.

 

To find out how AutomatePro can power the adoption of ServiceNow and drastically increase value delivery speed with our dedicated, modular, SaaS DevOps and Test Automation tool, please get in touch by calling us on +44 (0) 20 3473 2986 or email us: hello@automatepro.com

MattK • 01/06/2022

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